


True Fake Friend

by Arctic5660



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Good Lila Rossi, How Do I Tag, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Deserves Better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:41:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24767911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arctic5660/pseuds/Arctic5660
Summary: Lila Rossi was and is still not a good person.Marinette Dupain Cheng was and is still a good person.Marinette Dupain Cheng and Lila Rossi are perfect opposites.Marinette is all that is good and bright while Lila is all that is dark and bad.That is exactly why they got along so well
Relationships: Chloé Bourgeois & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Lila Rossi, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Tikki
Comments: 6
Kudos: 232





	True Fake Friend

**Author's Note:**

> First try at a one-shot, hope you enjoy!

Lila Rossi was and is still not a good person. She could lie, cheat, steal and do all other kinds of other things that society looks down on. Her mother was a diplomat and her father held a strong position in the Italian government. Naturally, she'd learn a thing or two about politics and law. As well as how to get out of trouble.

Marinette Dupain Cheng was and is still a good person. She's sweet, kind, honest, hard-working and all kinds of other things that society appreciates in a person. Her parents, though were the best bakers in all of Paris, were very humble and taught their daughter well. 

Marinette Dupain Cheng and Lila Rossi are perfect opposites.

Marinette is all that is good and bright while Lila is all that is dark and bad. 

That is exactly why they got along so well when their grandmothers introduced them to each other when they were about five years old. 

Lila who, till that point, only knew the darkness of humans, the greed and cruelty that is present in people, found someone who was genuine. Someone who wasn't just friends with her cause they knew that her parents were influential and important people. Someone she didn't have to put her guard up against.

Marinette, who was always taught to be a good child, found freedom in Lila. Someone who wouldn't be upset if she wasn't polite or nice. Someone who didn't hold any expectations on her. Someone who didn't even blink when she said a 'bad word' when she fell down and scraped her knee. Someone she knew would have her back. 

The girls knew that they would complete each other. They were a perfect balance. The other wouldn't be influenced by them. 

So, that's how they grew up. 

At first, Lila thought that Marinette would be a fleeting joy in her life. A quick time of freedom. A short moment where she could have even a bit of hope in humanity. Like much of her so-called friends, but Marinette had been a true friend. Lila should've known that she would've gone above and beyond to keep their friendship.

Whenever Marinette's grandmother travelled to Italy, she'd visit her dear friend Lila. When they were apart, they'd text and call constantly. 

Both girls could relax and be themselves around each other. Lila didn't have to scheme and plot and Marinette didn't have the pressure of expectations on her. They complained to each other, laughed with each other, shared their opinions and views with each other. They were just two normal kids with each other. 

That was until they were about ten years old. Marinette was just starting to get into designing and people started asking favours from her. At first, Lila thought nothing of it, that was until Marinette started being constantly tired and worn out. 

Also, Marinette was doing all these of favours for free! 

Lila knew how expensive fabric could be, she did attend a bunch of galas before and was positive that Marinette's work would at least cost several hundreds in material alone. On top of that, free treats from the bakery as well? If Marinette's parents hadn't been secretly rich due to owning the number one bakery franchise in Paris and having branch stores all over Europe, she'd be broke. 

Even if Marinette didn't mind the expenses, she was worn thin and Lila knew it. Lila had constantly tried to warn Marinette but that girl was far too nice for her own good. 

(What did she expect? Marinette was, after all, Lila's opposite.)

Lila had had enough when she saw a girl running around saving Paris in a ladybug costume. 

She asked one night during one of their usual calls, "You're Ladybug, aren't you? "

Marinette blinked, "...No? "

Lila sighed, "You're a horrible liar you know that? "

Marinette smiled sheepishly, "We both know that I can't lie to you."

Marinette ended up explaining everything to Lila, even introducing Tikki, much to the Kwami's dismay. 

"So, how'd you figure it out? " Marinette asked after she was done with her explanations, and assuring Tikki that Lila could be trusted (to an extent).

"Who else would constantly save Paris with all those random and inconvenient things? Only you, Marinette, could pull off fighting a weather controller with a bath towel. " Lila answered easily. 

So, not only is Lila's only friend having to deal with pushy people who are definitely just using her but she's also dealing with someone who's borderline sexually harassing her. Oh, and she's also responsible for saving Paris on a near-weekly basis. 

"Mari," Lila started, "Do you trust me? "

Marinette nodded quickly, "Of course! "

"Then cut your ties with everyone in your class," Lila stated bluntly. 

Marinette rolled her eyes, "or you'll do what? "

"Or, I'm gonna go there myself and show you what sheep they are," Lila stared at her friend, hard. 

It would be less painful cutting them off sooner rather than later. 

Marinette stared back, "They're not sheep Lila, so bring it."

Lila sighed internally. This was gonna hurt her. 

Outwardly? She smirked, "You're on Dupain Cheng! "

This was gonna hurt Marinette Dupain Cheng. It would hurt bad. Their friendship might take a hit. But Marinette was too good for this world. Lila would rather hurt her friend herself rather than watch her be slowly torn apart and held back from everything she could achieve. She'd protect the only person she'd ever care about. Lila swore it. 

It took several months, but Lila finally convinced her mother to take on the ambassador job in Paris and to take her along. She and Marinette agreed to fully pretend that they didn't know each other, Lila would also pretend not to know who was under the mask. 

The situation was worse than she thought. 

The first time she came along people immediately fell for her lies. Everyone did actually. Including teachers. 

Lila's first target had been Adrien Agreste. The boy who stole her friend's heart. He was so gullible. He's not worth Marinette's time or heart.

Marinette, or rather, Ladybug, gave her the chance to test her next target. Chat Noir. It was a good thing Lila learned to control her feelings perfectly. Including anger. It was too easy. She still couldn't believe that he'd trust her more than his own partner. 

Afterwards, Lila decided to take a break from school and plan her next move. 

One year later, Marinette lost her friends. 

One year was all it took. 

One year for everyone to turn on their everyday ladybug. 

One year to make them fall at her feet. 

One year to make Marinette lose all her friends.

Well, almost all her friends in class at least. 

The rest of the students found out within the first week of her return. They were interested in Lila's adventures and tried looking them up finding nothing.

Lila had made a shocked face and played it off as a joke. To be precise, she said that she wanted to be an actress and that she was surprised so many believed her since she said that she thought everyone was playing along. She then apologized and asked for input on her acting skills. The students hearing her explanations were rather upset at first but afterwards complimented her skills. 

The drama club even recruited her. Lila knew no one in her class was in drama club so she accepted. Mylene wanted to join but was far to shy. 

On the other hand, Marinette's class became antagonistic against the poor girl. They believed in Lila blindly and turned against Marinette. 

One time, Marinette was even expelled. Lila had accused Marinette of cheating and had faked falling from the stairs. Not the teachers, not the staff and none of Marinette's friends believed her. Not even Marinette's own parents! Alya tried to find proof but after failing, she started becoming suspicious of Marinette. Adrien tried to make her lie to clear Marinette's name. It was ridiculous. 

An interesting thing that came out of this was an offer from Gabriel Agreste to Lila. Marinette and Lila had suspicions on him. After all, he did have a book about the miraculous. It was basically a giant neon sign screaming, 'POTENTIAL HAWKMOTH'. If Gabriel was Hawkmoth, then Lila could also help her friend bring him down. A perfect two in one deal. 

Anyways, even after all that, Marinette had still believed in her friends. Lila, on the other hand, had had enough. So, Lila decided to deal the final blow.

About 16 months after Lila first came to Paris, Alya, Marinette's supposed best friend, the one who had stood up for the girl at the beginning of the year, tore apart her sketchbook. Alya was the perpetrator, but the rest of the class did nothing to stop her. Not even Adrien stood up for the girl. Marinette ran home in tears. Lila didn't make a single move to follow. Surprisingly, Chloe had. She scoffed, turned her nose up and walked away in Marinette's direction. Lila hoped she wasn't going to do anything.

Lila wasn't a good person, but she wasn't the only *not good* person in the world. Of course, there was Hawkmoth, but not all villains were major criminals or lied as obviously as Lila did. After school, that very day, Lila came to visit with whatever was left of Marinette's sketchbook. Marinette's parents who had known the girl was suspicious at first but allowed her in anyways. 

"You were right, " Marinette sobbed the moment she saw her. She was lying on her bed, still crying. Tikki was the only one with her, trying to comfort her. 

Lila sat down on the chaise and said in a loud and sing-song voice, "I told you! "

Tikki flew down, right to Lila's face and chastised, "Can't you be a bit less mean? "

"No, Tikki, she's right, " Marinette sat up on her bed. She rubbed her eyes and looked at her friend. That's right, Lila was her friend. Though it didn't seem like it in the past few months since she moved to Paris, Lila was actually her friend. She did all this for her. Even if it was cruel. 

"Also, Lila, you can stop that. We both know that we can't lie to each other," Marinette cracked a smile. They were friends because they could be themselves around each other. Marinette didn't want that to change.

Lila dropped her facade and smiled wryly at her, "Says the girl who's forcing herself to smile," she countered. 

The two girls laughed at that, tension leaving their bodies. Afterwards, they ended up binge-watching old Disney movies. Lila called her mom and told her she was staying over with a friend that night. Marinette insisted she borrows some of her pyjamas. That night, after Marinette was sufficiently recovered, they went through their options while sitting on Marinette's bed. 

"So, what are you going to do now, lady luck ?" Lila asked. Starting the conversation neither wanted to have.

"I don't think I can trust them anymore," Marinette confessed. All of them turned their backs on her. Even Alya. 

Lila nodded understandingly when she remembered something, "By the way, did Chloe do anything to you ? " she asked. 

Marinette blinked and shook her head, "No, she didn't. I haven't seen her actually."

Just then, a knock on the trapdoor caught their attention. Right after, the door was violently shoved opened and in came the devil herself. Chloe who entered the room stared at the two girls who were huddled on Marinette's bed while the two girls just stared down at her. 

"What are you doing here? " all three girls asked at once. Chloe was actually screaming while pointing at Lila. Lila cocked an eyebrow and Marinette was just confused. 

The two girls stepped down from the bed and the three started talking. Chloe explained first that she was there to apologize. She had even bought a new sketchbook for Marinette, even though she wasn't the one to wreck it. Lila and Marinette shared a look and decided to explain to Chloe about everything.

"So, let me get this straight, you two are childhood friends," Chloe stated in as calm a manner as possible.

Marinette and Lila nodded in confirmation. 

"And you," pointing at Lila, "wanted to prove to miss everything nice here that her friends were horrible." 

Another nod from the two girls. 

"So, that was all an act ?" 

"Pretty much," "Yup," the two girls confirmed. 

Chloe facepalmed, "Of course, the liar and little miss sunshine are friends, that makes perfect sense," Chloe then looked at Marinette, "So, what are you doing to do now?"

Marinette didn't answer. 

She too wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do. 

"That's what I thought, you don't want revenge but you also can't trust them anymore, " Chloe remarked. 

"Hey, leave her alone. You know she's too nice for her own good," Lila defended her best friend.

"I know," Chloe said, "That's why I called my mother prior to coming here."

The two girls raised their eyebrows in confusion before Chloe had explained that she asked her mother to make recommendation letters for Marinette and herself to College Estrade. 

"THE FAMOUS SCHOOL OF ARTS?!"

The two girls gaped in surprise. It was one of the most prestigious art schools that were known for its many famous graduates. If you managed to even get into the school, you'd be able to expand your connections immensely. It was a place brimming with opportunities. Chloe's mother had graduated from there, as well as Gabriel Agreste and even Jagged Stone. 

It had a fashion department, a music department, dance and all kinds of other departments. It was owned by the Estrade family that was currently very well known in the entertainment industry as Claude Estrade and Allegra Estrade were both rising stars. Claude in the movie industry and Allegra in the music industry. 

"My mother is a close friend of the Estrade's," Chloe explained. She also promised to get an extra recommendation letter for Lila if they were interested. Chloe had to admit that the girl was a talented actress. 

"That might not be necessary yet," Lila said. Chloe cocked an eyebrow at her before Lila nudged Marinette. Marinette nodded, knowing where she was going. 

Three months later, Marinette and Chloe transferred to College Estrade. Lila stayed behind. She had other important matters to attend to. Besides, Marinette would be safe with Chloe. Lila recognized the changes in people when she saw it. The next time an Akuma attacked, a new superhero, Abeille, joined Ladybug and Chat Noir. 

Lila and Marinette would continue on their own respective missions. Marinette would fight in the open while Lila would scheme in the dark. Chloe made a perfect addition to the team. She could both fight in the open and scheme in the dark.

In a few years time, the three would be an unstoppable force that achieved everything they set their hearts to. An unbreakable bond was formed between them. It was an unbelievable bond that should have been impossible, but it was merely one of the many impossible that they made possible.


End file.
